The result rounds off a bad year for the team, in which they only won two competitive matches (Estonia and Scotland) and failed to make any impression at the summer’s European Championships.
The Poles began the match on Monday evening in sluggish fashion, conceding a third-minute goal after John McGinn passed the ball into the bottom corner following neat build-up play from the Scots.
Poland were outplayed for much of the first half by the Scots, who dominated meaningful possession and carved out the best chances. The Poles’ inexperienced backline was constantly vulnerable to both through balls and relatively simple passes over the top of them.
However, they steadied the ship in the second half and started to gain a foothold in the match. Much of this team's strength lies in winning the ball in their own half and countering at speed through the pace and trickery of wing-backs Zalewski and Kamiński.
Poland found an equalizer just before the hour mark when the team’s most creative outlet, Piotr Zieliński teed up Kamil Piątkowski, who rifled an unstoppable strike from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner.
Piątkowski wheeled away in delight after scoring his goal for his country in only his third appearance. The RB Salzburg player was only featuring due to the absence of more established defenders but caught the eye.
The game was then nicely poised, with Scotland needing a win and Poland eager to impress in front of a near-capacity home crowd. The encounter became more frenetic with periods of end-to-end action.
Both sides missed decent chances to win it in 90 minutes and as the match moved into injury time, it looked destined for a draw with energy levels dropping.
Lack of ambition
However, the Poles, much to the consternation of the home support, opted to move the ball backwards after they produced a decent counterattack. After being 40 meters from the Scottish goal, the ball was back at goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski’s feet with a couple of passes.
Ultimately Poland were punished for their lack of ambition, as a minute later the Scots played a hopeful ball into the box, which Robertson attacked with far more vigor than Zalewski and his header flew into the corner, giving Skorupski no chance.
The passivity was a damning reflection of the team's performance both on Monday and throughout this Nations League campaign. Playing for a draw at home to the bottom team in the group – even though the draw favored them – suggests they do not belong in the Nations League’s elite and would be better suited to League B.
Coach under the spotlight
The relegation puts the spotlight on Michał Probierz, who has failed to find either a winning or attractive formula since his tenure began 14 months ago.
His side are very flakey in defense, lacking in midfield creativity and often look impotent in attack, even with the greatest striker the country has ever produced in Robert Lewandowski.
Probierz wants to play a counter-attacking style but has not been able to implement a solid defensive foundation on which to build such a structure.
In his defense, the team’s opposition both at this summer’s Euros and in the Nations League has been tough. It would arguably be fairer to judge him on the team’s performances against sides at their level, which they will face in League B and in World Cup qualifying.
